Installing Themes
This is a manual about installing (custom/official) themes
Unofficial Themes for PSP XMB
On hacked and Custom Firmwares for the PSP, aspects of the XMB can be customized such as the icons, battery and volume meters, the text displayed under each menu item, the animated wave in the background, and the bitmap for each month can be changed. The PSP Slim contains 27 backgrounds, instead of the original 12, varying from color to color. On the original firmware, only the menu icons themselves can be customized via themes.
The XMB on the PSP is known internally as the "VSH" and since the advent of homebrew is highly customizable. The firmware files vshmain.prx and paf.prx contain the main positioning of the icons and the layout of the XMB. Topmenu_plugin.rco contains the menu icons as well as the glow and shadow icons for each menu icons (3.52 and below firmware), and for 3.70 and above firmware, it is named Topmenu_icon.rco. Topmenu_plugin.rco also holds the names of any of the icons in the XMB (on 3.52 and below), and for 3.70 and above it only stores text. System_plugin.rco file stores components such as XMB sounds and the busy icon and system_plugin_fg.rco contains the battery icon. Impose_plugin.rco in the other hand, holds the sound volume icon. Finally, system_plugin_bg.rco contains the background animated wave. Before the firmware update 2.70 was released, it was very easy to edit the menu background colors by just editing the BMP files at FLASH0:/VSH/RESOURCE files 01.bmp to 12.bmp, but after the update all the background BMPs were held in a single BMP file named 01-12.bmp. The files were added after each other in the BMP file by simple HEX editing. That way opening the file in Paint for example, the user would just see the first month background color which is grey.
Official Themes for PSP XMB
PSP users with the 3.70 Official Firmware or newer have the ability to download themes for the Playstation Portable and apply theme to the Playstation Portable without hacking. There is also software that was released by Sony that allows any one person to create a theme.
These "official" themes can only change the looks of the XMB icons, but can not changes other resources, like the XMB wave or the position of the icons.
How to Install Official .PTF Themes
Requirements
- Any PSP (OFW or CFW).
- A .PTF theme. Download loads from here.
- USB Data Cable.
- Firmware 3.71/3.71 M33 or higher.
These themes just change the look of your icons in the XMB, and the wallpaper. It doesn't mess with flash0. (It flashes the theme to flash1 however). This feature was made by Sony. It is perfectly safe.
Installation
Installation using computer
- First download a .PTF theme,
- Then place it in ms0:/PSP/THEME, if you don't have these folders make them.
- Then go on the XMB, under Settings > Theme Settings and choose the theme you want to apply, there will be all the ones you put in the THEME folder and the original option to change it back to normal.
Installation using PSP
- Go to a site like http://www.psp-themes.net/ using the PSP webbrowser.
- Choose a theme
- Click the download button
- The PSP installs it automatically
(On some websites, you only can download zipped .PTF files. You have to unzip them using a online unzipper. )
How to Install Custom XMB Themes
Requirements
Please note all these programs are intended for 4.01 M33
- Any PSP.
- CFW 3.52 M33 or higher.
- A Custom Theme. Download loads from here.
- USB data cable.
- Flashing Theme Program XMBEditor V3 (PSP Wardrobe)
- Flash0 Unhider Flash0 Unlocker
These themes change everything of your PSP, and sometimes get rid of your XMB, with different styles. Like XBOX 360 themes and other cool themes. These look cool but they're quite dangerous as it messes with flash.
Installation Manually
- First you will have to access Flash0; to do this it is better to do this via Recovery Menu. To do this when booting up the PSP, hold R.
- Go into Advanced Settings and press X on Toggle Flash0. You should have your USB connected both ways.
- A pop-up may come and press view files on the computer. Then if they are only 2 files, then you will have to unhide 3/4 more. If you have all 5/6 folders you're in luck.
- To unhide, download Flash0 Unlocker, copy the .BAT file into the root of your memory stick, and run it. You just have to press Enter and will unhide the contents in two seconds. Then you can delete the .BAT file.
- Then make a folder on the computer named anything. Eg. 'Flash0 Backup'. Copy and paste the folders in Flash0 to the folder you just made, incase you want the normal XMB back or something goes wrong.
- Go to Console Spot and create an account.
- Then browse for themes; or download one if you haven't already, extract it, then check its size -you
- Then check flash0's free space by selecting all and clicking properties. PSP Slim's may have bigger space, so most will not have to free space. (Not all themes need flash0 space to be deleted)
- If your theme is larger than the free space, then you will have to free some space, using XMBEditor. This program will get rid of stuff, that you don't want like Japanese fonts, dictionary files (non-Asian PSPs). NOT needed for Slim.
- Download a XMBEditor and place it in 'GAME4XX'.
- Run it and dummy unwanted things with smaller sizes, or even delete some features. You can always get them back as you have a backup.
- Then check the size of your Flash0 again, and make sure the size of free space is more than the size of the theme before you move on to the next step.
- Copy and paste the 'VSH' or any other folder folder into the root of your Flash0, and let it overwrite. If the overwriting says not enough space, you have semi-bricked or fully bricked. Delete everything and copy your backup into the root again. Or if you didn't, go into the recovery menu and go on run EBOOT. It should come up with XMBEditor and give you options how to restore things. In the case you didn't you didn't use XMBEditor, then go
- Then reboot your PSP by exiting in the Recovery Menu
- You should be on your exciting new theme.
- If for any case you want your normal XMB back, then delete everything of Flash0, and copy and paste your backup. (Or re-flash the firmware, or update)
Installing via a Program
For those who are scared of getting bricked, this is a little safer!
- First download a custom theme. (You don't have to as XMBEditor V3 has some built in)
- Then Download a flashing theme program, download XMBEditor in this case.
- Copy the contents to the root of your MS and let it overwrite.
- Go into the Recovery Menu, by holding R at startup, and go into 'Advanced Settings, and toggle Flash0, make sure the USB is connected both ways.
- On the computer open the Flash0 files, if their is less than 5/6 folders then you have to do this step.
- If you have all 5/6, then skip this step.
- Download Flash0 Unlocker and copy the .BAT file into the root of your Flash0 and run it. Press enter and it should have unhided your folders. You can now delete the .BAT file.
- Then place your theme contents as all files into ms0:/Themes & MODS/Theme/"yourtheme", if you downloaded a theme. You will need to put a resource, font and module folder in it, even if this is not included in your theme. Then just get a picture of it named preview.jpg and put it there.
- Then run the XMBEditor V3 from the XMB. It should take a while, when it starts as it backs everything up (just for the first time).
- If you have a Phat Go into Advanced Settings, and go on delete/dummy Flash0 stuff. Run the first two programs, which are things you will defintely not be using and will free some space. If you have a Slim there is no need to do this.
- Then go back on the Main Menu and and slect flash Theme, this will give you a slection of Themes you have put, and some built in ones. Navigate to which one you want. Then press L + Start, and wait about 50 seconds; hopefully it should flash, and restart your PSP how you desired.
- In XMBEditor V3, you don't have to flash a whole theme. You can flash little things like battery bars, volume bars, waves, gameboots, font and many more. There are lots of things built in, so you don't have to download them yourself. But in the unlikely case it isn't there download the theme with that file you like and copy the file into a file named exactly like that in 'Themes & MODS'.
- Then if you do not like it, go into recovery from XMBEditor, and select original XMB, and wait, then it should work. Then you can stay on it or choose another Custom XMB.
- If it is still the original theme, when your PSP restarts - you never had enough space in Flash0, so delete/dummy more things.
How to Install .ctf Themes
Video Tutorial On How To Install CXMB And CTF Themes